Viva’s Quality Improvement System (QIS) is an effective capacity-building tool used to significantly raise standards in Christian work with children. It introduces international quality standards and principles and provides a framework for organisations to make improvements towards those standards.
Depending on the starting point for QIS, mid – large sized organisations and churches work towards certificates at two levels:
Foundations in Quality: Aimed at less developed organisations and projects to provide a firm foundation for quality work, and workable systems for accountability.
QIS Accountability Level: A significant level of quality recognised and endorsed by Viva’s Quality Standards Reference Group.
You can find a list of all QIS Accredited Churches and Organisations at Accountability Level
For churches and smaller organisations, we have developed Quality Improvement Steps for churches.
How does it build capacity?
QIS works with organisations and churches to develop organisational structures and systems that ensure a high level of accountability. It enables them to assess their performance against international quality standards and to define areas for improvement. Mentoring, coaching through change and peer-to-peer learning within a network setting provide the framework for long-term sustainable change.
The change made has wide implications. Apart from enabling organisations to provide better care for children, it can open the organisation up to greater funding opportunities and collaboration with larger corporations or government bodies that have more stringent requirements.
Methodology
This course requires a well-established network with members who are keen to develop. We begin by gathering a working group of network members who will organise the course. We train members in the vision and process of QIS to become QIS Facilitators and lead the training for others. The working group will contact local experts to lead training in specific areas and mentor organisations through improvements and change. Training in QIS consists of 6 units:
- Child protection
- Child wellbeing
- Project Planning and Design
- Financial Accountability
- Governance
- People Care
Units are taught and practice consolidated through training, assessment, peer learning and mentoring. Key to the success of this training is the mentoring as mentors visit the organisations to monitor improvements specified in the training helping to hold them accountable, and offering advice when change is harder to implement.
The rigorous nature of the course means that each unit takes approximately 3 months. Change is monitored through regular reviews in the form of self-assessment and spot check verification.
Once organisations have implemented improvements in each of the 6 areas, they can choose to be externally verified to receive the Viva Commitment to Quality Mark at Foundations or Accountability level.
Viva has developed materials and provides technical input to support the running of QIS. The resources that accompany this course are:
- QIS Facilitators handbook: Introduction and practical guidelines for implementing QIS in a local network together with tools and resources to put it into practice
- Participants pack (including information, assessment, and action plan against each of the quality standards in the 6 units)
- Resources for trainers for each of the 6 unit including guidelines and training workshop outlines
- Resources for training new QIS facilitators
Technical Input available from Viva includes:
- One week’s QIS facilitators training: How to set up and implement QIS within your network
- Links into a community of practice around QIS, including monthly Skype calls with QIS facilitators in different parts of the world
- QIS Facilitators meetings to share good practice and learn from one another
Find out more?
QIS resources can be made available on request. If you would like any further information, please do contact us on (+44) 1865 811 660 or info@viva.org
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